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Damning report out today from @V4CE & @ACEVO.
The key question: will charity leaders finally step up to take serious action on institutional racism?
Our full response to follow, for now find some key highlights from the report below. https://www.acevo.org.uk/reports/home-truths/
The key question: will charity leaders finally step up to take serious action on institutional racism?
Our full response to follow, for now find some key highlights from the report below. https://www.acevo.org.uk/reports/home-truths/
We welcome the report's recommendation that 'we must, more urgently than ever, rethink and reconstruct who we are as a sector, how we work and what we do.'
To charity leaders preparing responses: we see through performative statements.
We are organising and we demand ACTION.
To charity leaders preparing responses: we see through performative statements.
We are organising and we demand ACTION.
The report reinforces what we know - shamefully only 20% of survey respondents agreed that charity sector leaders are willing to talk openly and honestly about race equality and racism.
Does this sound like sector leadership that is fit for purpose?
Does this sound like sector leadership that is fit for purpose?
Further, 68% said that they had experienced, witnessed or heard stories about racism in their time in the charity sector.
64% agreed with the statement that the charity sector fails to live up to its stated values and principles in their treatment of BAME people.
64% agreed with the statement that the charity sector fails to live up to its stated values and principles in their treatment of BAME people.
58% disagreed with the statement that charity sector leaders are willing to talk openly and honestly about race equality and racism - reiterating white charity leaders’ wilful ignorance.
We welcome the report’s challenge - this is rooted not just in a fear of 'getting things wrong' but what will change for people in power they do get it right.
Rightfully @browning_vicky reflects in her blog 'even that fear is a manifestation of privilege: it suggests we can opt in or out of discussions, while people are being harmed. https://www.acevo.org.uk/2020/06/providing-a-greater-focus-on-inclusion-and-equity/
The report says it 'is about accepting responsibility for what needs to be done. We hope it is a timely intervention to help the charity sector to move beyond warm words on diversity and on to meaningful action.'
Recommendations are laid out for:
Recommendations are laid out for:
To all those across the sector just waking up.
Welcome - the work to dismantle structural racism in our sector has been going on for a very long time.
Welcome - the work to dismantle structural racism in our sector has been going on for a very long time.
When #CharitySoWhite launched, people who'd worked in the sector for decades reached out to say their experiences of racism hadn’t changed since the day they joined.
As the report states, BAME employees have had little choice but to become “experts” in racism.
As the report states, BAME employees have had little choice but to become “experts” in racism.
The last few months have been painful for those fighting for racial justice. Structural racism has tarnished the charity sector’s response to a crisis disproportionately impacting BAME communities.
We have witnessed denial & a concerted preservation of the status quo.
We have witnessed denial & a concerted preservation of the status quo.
We can wait no longer.
This is a moment of reckoning.
The charity sector must critically assess whether it is fit for purpose. We have too often been found wanting, and we must either take serious action or stand aside for those who are ready and able to lead the way.
This is a moment of reckoning.
The charity sector must critically assess whether it is fit for purpose. We have too often been found wanting, and we must either take serious action or stand aside for those who are ready and able to lead the way.
